Device for mentholizing cigarettes



Feb. 8, l1938. A AI O, WALKER ET AL 2,107,591

DEVICE FOR MENTHOLIZING CIGARETTES F'iled April 28, 1937 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES artisti PATENT OFFICE Albert 0. Walker and Carl James Sanford, Independence, Mo.

Application April 28, 1937, Serial No. 139,536

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the process and device for mentholizing or otherwise treating the tobacco in smoking articles, and is particularly suited for treating the tobacco in cigarettes and pipes with menthol or any other desirable volatile substance.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of an article of manufacture, comprising a recessed bowl, with openings through the walls thereof, to communicate with said recess, and a hollow insert having its inner portion frusta-conical with an opening through the inner end thereof to communicate with a chamber formed between the bowl and the insert, and a volatile treating material in said chamber whereby when a stream of air is passed therethrough, it will be impregnated with said volatile material and then passed through the tobacco of a smoking article.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an article of manufactlure, having a compartment for containing a volatile material, and having openings therein, whereby air may be directed through said chamber, thence through the tobacco of a smoking article.

A further object of this invention is the process of impregnating the tobacco contained within a smoking article with a volatile substance comprising passing a stream of air through a chamber containing a volatile substance, whereby said stream of air is impregnated, then passing said treated air through the tobacco of said smoking article, whereby said tobacco is impregnated with the volatile substance.

With these, as well as other objects which will appear during the course of the specification, in view, reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevation of an article of manufacture, embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the article, partially broken away, and with a cigarette positioned therein for treatment.

Fig. 4 is an edge view of-the article, shown in position on the bowl of a pipe for treating the tobacco contained therein.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional view of the article.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged View of the recessed bowl, with the insert removed therefrom, and,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, inner face view of the hollow insert.

Throughout the several views, like reference characters designate similar parts, and the numeral I0 indicates a recessed bowl which may be made of wood, hard rubber or any other material that will not be alected by the treating material to be used therein. As indicated in the drawing, the recess I2 formed in bowl Ill is preferably of cylindrical form and extends substantially through said bowl to present a wall I 4. Openings I6 are formed through wall I4 adjacent the outer periphery of recess I2 to communicate therewith.

For convenience in manufacture and carrying in the pocket, the bowl is made circular in form, with rounded edges. A hollow insert I8, provided at its outer portion with a cylindrical surface 20, is adapted to snugly fit into recess I2 and` retain its position therein under all normal conditions. The inner portion 22 of insert I8 is frusto-conical in shape and provided at its central portion with an opening 24, which communicates with recess I2 through transverse grooves ,A

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be noted that the insert I8 is tted into the recess I2 of the bowl until the inner end of I8 rests against the inner surface of wall I4, and due to the shape of the inner portion of the insert, an annular chamber 28 is formed between the bowl and the insert. This chamber is adapted to receive a brous or otherwise porous material which is suitable for carrying a volatile material, such as menthol crystals, so that as air is forced through openings I, thence through the chamber 28 wherein the volatile material is lodged, the air will become impregnated with said volatile material and then pass through grooves 26, opening 24, and into the tobacco T of a cigarette C or pipe P when they are positioned respectively as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Materials other than menthol crystals, such as camphor, peppermint, etc., might also be used in this article for treating the tobacco to be smoked.

In the carrying out of this process by means of the article as described, it will first be considered that a cigarette is to be treated, and in such cases, the cigarette C is positioned as shown in Fig. 3, with one end thereof resting against the frusto-conical wall 3U. The operator may now blow through openings I 6 to force air through the chamber 28, thence to grooves 26, opening 24 and into and through the cigarette C, thereby depositing a portion of the volatile materialin Ythe tobacco T. For varying the quantity of the volatile material to be deposited in the tobacco, a variable amount of air may be passed through the cigarette. Also, the operator may reverse the process by placing the cigarette in the mouth and sucking the air through in like direction as it was forced through by blowing.

Referring to 5, where the article is to be used for treating the tobacco in a pipe, it will be Y observedbthat the outer portion of insertV I8 eX- tends beyond the bowl Hl, thereby presenting a shoulder 32, which serves fon. centering theV article on the pipe so that the operator may either blow or draw the air through the tobacco as described above.

This article made of convenient size and form so that it may be carried in the pocket and used many times without refilling.

What we claim is:

l. An article of manufacture comprising a recessed bowl having openings formed therethrough communicating with said recess; a hollow tapered insert, having an opening through the center thereof, and adapted to be tted into the recessed bowl to form a chamber therebetween; and a brous medicated filler in said chamber formed between said bowl and insert, whereL-y air passing therethrough will be impregnated by any material suspended in the ller.

2. An article of manufacture comprising a bowl having a cylindrical recess formed therein and having openings formed through the wall thereof to communicate said recess; a hollow insert, having its inner end truste-conical in shape and having an opening through its central portion, adapted to be securely fitted into said recess toproduce a chamber therebetween; and

a porous medicated filler in said chamber whereby air passing through said chamber will be impregnated with any material suspended in the filler.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a bowl having a cylindrical recess formed therein and having openings formed through the wall thereof to communicate with said recess; a hollow insert, having its inner end frusto-conical in shape and having an opening through its central portion, adapted to be securely fitted into said recess with a portionrprotruding therefrom, to produce a chamber therebetween; and a porous medicated iiller in said chamber whereby air passing through said' chamber will be impregnated with any material suspended in the filler.

4. An articleof manufacture comprising a bowl having a cylindrical recess formed therein and having openings formedl through the wall thereof to communicate with said recess; a hollow insert, having its inner end frusto-conical in shape and having an opening through its central portion, adapted to be securely tted into said recess to produce a chamber therebetween; and a porous medicated filler insaid chamberrwh'ere.- by air passing through said chamber will be impregnated with said medicine, said insert hava frusta-conical surface whereon the end of a cigarette may be positioned above the opening leading to said chamber. A

5. An article of manufacture comprising a bowl having a cylindrical recess formed therein and having openings formed through the wall thereof to communicate with said recess; ahollow insert, having its inner end truste-conical in shape and having an opening through its central portion, adapted to be securely tted into said recess with its inner end resting against the bottom of said recess and its outer end projecting from said bowl to produce a chamber therebetween; and a porous medicated filler in said chamber whereby air passing through said chamber will be impregnated with any material suspended in the filler.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a bowl having a recess formed therein and openings through the wall of said howl to communicate with said recess; an insert having a center opening formed therethrough, adapted to co-operate with said bowl to forma compartment for the reception of a volatile material; and a recess formed in said insert for the reception of the end of a cigarette above said center opening.

' ALBERTr O. CARL JAMES SANFORD. 

